Category: Root Canal

In honor of National Toothache Day, it seems only fitting to take a moment to talk about these painful oral issues. After all, toothaches are some of the worst pains because we use our teeth on such a regular basis. When one of them is in pain, it’s hard to ignore. But what exactly is a toothache?

First things first, there are triggers that let you know you have a toothache – and they are just normal everyday things we all do. Biting down on something hard, sweets and/or hot and cold drinks are likely to send a shooting pain through you, signaling you may need to make a dentist appointment.

Not only will pain be involved in your achy tooth, but there are a few physical symptoms your mouth will use to let you know that your tooth is not doing so hot. A throbbing pain in your mouth, swollen painful gums, a headache or even a fever are all symptoms that something is wrong in your mouth and should get checked asap. It may not always be a toothache; but leaving it untreated will not only increase the issue, but may make things much worse.

Because the tooth pain is an issue within the soft center of the tooth, inflammation can be caused by various dental issues. Cavities, infected tooth roots and gums, broken teeth and damaged fillings are all issues that need to be taken care of in a dental office during your regular checkups in order to prevent a toothache from developing.

Life happens. Sometimes our teeth are the victims of an emergency. Cracked teeth are natural accidents that happen to the best of us. You made a dental appointment to fix it, but it isn’t for a couple of days. What do you do in the meantime? Here are the top three dental emergencies and how to handle them:

Toothache. If you find that you have a lot of pain around a certain tooth, you may have an abscess or exposed nerve from a filling or crown. If this is the case, try swishing with a warm salt water rinse and see your dentist as soon as possible. You may need to have a root canal or the tooth extracted entirely.

Broken or chipped teeth. Chipping your tooth is unfortunate, so if this happens, find as many pieces of the tooth you can and rinse them (and your mouth) with warm water. If your mouth is bleeding, gauze may be necessary. If the pain is extreme, try using a cold compress on the area to help relieve any pain.

Missing teeth. Nothing is worse for your smile than knocking out a tooth. Fortunately, if you can find said tooth, there may be a chance to fix it. Pick up the tooth but the crown, as opposed to the root. Rinse off any debris, but don’t scrub it. If you can, try inserting it back into your mouth. If not, put it in a glass of milk or warm salt water until your appointment.

Root canals are procedures done to help save and repair badly damaged and infected teeth. This process involves removing, cleaning and disinfecting of the damaged area, the pulp. After this, the pulp is filled and then sealed to prevent further damage.

There are many factors involved as to why the pulp becomes damaged in the first place, such as cracked teeth, cavities, trauma, and even, repeated dental treatment.

Why do you need to get a root canal?

Root canals aren’t exactly very popular, mainly because many believe that they’re quite the painful procedure. While that’s true, most dentists attest to how it’s not that much more painful than getting a filling.

The main reason why you need to get a root canal is to alleviate the pain caused by the severe decay in your teeth. Though, the pain could also be caused by a crack or chip in your tooth, or periodontal disease in its advanced stages. Also, if the infection is left alone, it will spread and the pain will only grow worse. It may also go on to affect other teeth, which isn’t exactly good news.

Either way, root canals are one of the only two ways to help get rid of the pain.

Of course, root canals aren’t the only option. You can also opt for tooth extraction, though most dentists won’t really recommend this because it leads to a number of other problems that will require multiple procedures to deal with. Also, missing teeth can result in other complications which can negatively impact your dental health.

What happens during a root canal?

When it comes to root canals, the following things usually happen:

The dentist will need to take an X-ray to check if you really do need a root canal, as well as to help them pinpoint just exactly where the problem areas are.

Once the decay has been located, the dentist will proceed to administer local anesthesia to the affected area. This is so as to help remove the pain or, at the very least, make it more manageable.

The dentist will then make an opening and proceed to remove the tooth pulp.

Once the roots are open, they are then filled with material and sealed off with cement to prevent further problems.

What to do after a root canal?

Root canals have a very high success rate, so you can bet money that treated and restored teeth will last for a very long time.

Still, it pays to do a few things differently from then on, such as:

Improving your oral hygiene – Brushing teeth regularly just isn’t enough anymore. You also have to floss regularly so that you can remove any food particles lodged in between your teeth and gums.

Visiting the dentist more often – Chances are, the problems that led to you needing a root canal could’ve easily been prevented had you visit your dentist for regular cleanings and checkups.

Visit Dr. Ted Haines today to see if your oral health is in tip-top shape, and if not, discuss with you what your possible treatment options are. Make an appointment by calling 360-568-8577. Visit the website at www.tedhainesdds.com.